Can-testing machine



Nov. 8, 1927. 1,648,660

L. H. PETERS CAN TESTING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1927 s Sheets-Sheet .1

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L. H. PETERS CAN TESTING MACHINE Filed May 25. 1927 Fig; 2;,

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Nova 8, 1927., L648 660' n... H. PETERS CAN TESTING MACHiNE Filed May 25. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet? INVENTOR.

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Patented Nov. 8, 1927.

STTES erase-e Louisa. PETERS, or OAKLAND, cnnrroanra.

CAN-TESTING: MACHINE.

Application filed May 23, 1927. Serial No. 193,442.

This invention relates to can testing machines and particularly pertains to certain improvements on a prior apparatus dis: closed in United States Letters Patent 5 $21,575,384; issued to me on March 2, 1926.

This prior apparatus andmethod cntemplated the testing of cans by distending the ends of faulty cans. This is to say, a suction was applied to the ends of the filled cans sufficient to distend the ends of all the cans containing less than a predetermined amount of vacuum. After the cans passed through the machine the ends of the cans that were faulty or not evacuated to a sulficicnt extent remained distended and were segregated manually from the run of cans.

It is the principal objectof the present invention to provide a generally improved apparatus of this character which will extend the ends'of faulty cans or those not sufli ciently evacuated and automatically segregate these faulty cans and discharge them from the machine at a different point than that at which the properly evacuated cans are dischargedfrom the machine.

In carrying out this invention into practice I provide a machine into which cans may be continuously fed and which will apply a distending force to the end of each n can sufficientto distend. the end of the can in the event that the can is improperly evacuated. Automatically operating means.

are provided which cause the cans having distended ends to be discharged from the machine at a point other than the delivery pointto which the properly evacuated cans are delivered or discharged from the .ma-

chine. In this manner the faulty cans are automatically segregated from those sufficiently evacuated.

One form which the invention may assume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated by way of example in the ac companying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying the preferred form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. r Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary View in' section through one of the can testing chucks.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary View disclosing the mechanism by which the vacuum is broken at the delivery point of the machine.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, 10 indicates a supporting frame which maybe of any preferred design and capable of supporting a pair of spaced side frames 11. These side frames 11 are arranged in parallelism and extend ver tically from the supporting frame 10. v The side frames 11 are fitted with aligned bearlugs 11 which rotatably receive a horizontally disposed hollow shaft 12. Secured on the shaft 12 is a spider 14 and a pair of spaced head members'15 and 16. The spider 1'4 and the head member 16 are secured together and allthree elements rotate in unison with the shaft 12. The spider 14 is formed at it s periphery with a pluralityof can receiving sockets spaced equal distances apart.

The rotary head members and the spider which are secured on the shaft 12 are continuously driven in the direction indicated by the arrow A in Fig. 1 at a desired speed by means of a motor driven worm 33 carried by the frame 10 and which is in mesh with a worm-Wheel 34 secured about the periphery of the head member 15.

In the present instance I prefer to term the head member 15 as the suction head and this head is formed with a hollow suction chamber 17 which is in communication, through a port 18, with the interior of the shaft 12. The bore of the shaft 12 communicates with a vacuum pump 19 through the medium of a tank 20 and a pipe21. Mounted on the suction head 15 is a plurality of chucks 22 which are in axial alignment with the can receiving sockets on the spider 14. These chucks 22 are arranged in a circle concentric to the center of the shaft 12 and are spaced equal distances apart in alignment with the can sockets on the spider.

Each chuck comprises a hollow spindle 23 reciprocably mounted in a sleeve bearing 24 extending through the suction head 15 and secured thereto. At its inner end the hollow spindle 23 is fitted with a chuck 'plate 25 which is of a diameter larger than the cans to be tested and is fitted with a rubber gasket ring 26 secured on its face.

It. will be noticed from Fig. 3 that when the can is positioned in thesocket adjacent F the chuck that it Will be held between the 3" gasket ring 26 on the chuck plate 25 and a face plate 27 mounted in the head member 19 in axial alignment with the chuck. One face plate is mounted for cooperation with each chuck.

Each face plate 27 comprises a disk secured on a stem 28 recipr'ocably mounted in v the chuck a stem guide 29. The disk, reciprocates in a depression or counterbore formed in the face of the rotary head member 16. Secured on the stem 28 is a washer 30 interposed between which and the rotary head member 16 is an expansion spring 31. This spring constantly tends to maintain the disk in its outermost position.

At the outer end ofthe stem is a cam roller 31 engaging a cam track 32 carried by the. frame. be hereinafter described, operates the face plate 27 during certain periods so as to retain the cans fed to the machine between the face plate and the chuck plate 25. The cam track 32 is so designed that when the sockets in "the spider 14 align with a cam chute 35, the face plate 27 will be Withdrawn, permitting the can to drop into the aligned socket in the spider. As the can is moved out of alignment with the chute by reason of the rotation of the. spider and chuck mechanism, a rise in the can track 32 causes the face plate 27 to move inwardly toward the chuck 22 clamping .the can between the face plate 27 and the chuck plate 25. At this time the raised rim of the can will engage the gasket ring 26 to form a seal between the can end and the .gasket rin As disclosed in Fig. 3 of the draw ngs, the chuck 22 bears against a compression spring 36 so that inward movement of the face plate 27 will be transmitted through the can to the chuck 22 moving the latteroutwardly a slight distance against the action of the spring 36. This movement of the chuck 22 is sufficient to align a port'37 in the hollow chuck spindle with a port 38 in the sleeve guide 24 within which the chuck spindle 23 is reciprocably mounted. The alignment of these ports 37 and 38 places the interior of the hollow spindle 23in communication with the suction chamber in the head member 15. As the end of the chamber in the hollow spindle 23 is open at the chuck plate, the suction or vacuum created inthechamber within the head '15 will be applied to the end of the can contiguous to plate. It is intended that this vacuum or suction be suiiicient to distend the end of the can in the event that the can is improperly evacuated. That is to say, if it is determined that the can should contain six inches of vacuum, the vacuum in the chamber Within the head member 15 is sufficiently greater than this six inches to overcome the resistance of the can end. This vacuum is sufiicientqto distend the ehds of all cans containing less than a predetermined vacuum.

As previously stated it is intended to discharge all cans not evacuated to a predetermined point. To accomplish this the outer end of the sleeve guide 24 is enclosed by a cap 39 having a" centrally located valve Thiscam track 32, as will low chuck spindle 23 to atmospheric.

opening 40 formed therein. This valve opening 40 is controlled by a poppet type of valve 41 secured on a valve stem 42. This valve stem is guided in the outerend of the hollow stem 231 and by a perforated plunger tended. After the vachurn or suction is ap-' plied to the end of the can, should the can end become distended, the valve stem 42 is moved outwardly by such distension and opens the valve 41, breaking the vacuum.

During this outward movement of the valve. stem 42, the perforated plunger 44 thereon likewise moves outwardly and closes the port 37, shutting off communication between the vacuum chamber in the rotary head member 15 and the interior of the hollowchuck spindle 23. The closing of the port 37 and the opening of the valve 41 raises the pressure in the interior of' the hol- The can is then held in position only by the medium, of the clamping action of the face plate 27 against the chuck plate 22.

The can then travels to a point almost diametricallyopposite the vpoint where the can enters the machine, and at this point the cam track 32 is formed with a depression disengaging the face plate 27 from the can. This movement of the face plate 27 releases the can, permitting it to discharge from the machine.

In the event that the can end does not distend, the suction created on its end at the chuck plate 25 is maintained during this periodof movement of the spider and is suflicient to retain the can in the spider until after it approaches a discharge conveyor 50.

At this point'the vacuum is automatically broken within the hollow guide stem 23 by opening the valve 41 bymeans of a. button 51 'which is secured on the outermost end of the valve stem 42. This button engages a trip shoe 52 secured on the'frame in the path of movement of the button 51. This is disclosed in Figs. 3 and '4.

Reference being had to these figures it is seen that engagement of the button with the shoe 52 moves the valve stem 42 outwardly,

raising the valve 41 from its seat and breaking the vacuum within the hollow guide spindle 23. The moving of the valve stem 42 outwardly causes the perforated plunger 44% the valve stem 42 to cover the port 37 and disrupt communication between the interior of the chucksleeve. 23 and the vacuum chamber in the head 15. The breakin of the vacuum in the chamber within the hello chuck sleeve 23 releases the can and permits the discharge. conveyor 50 which operates synchronously with the spider to pick up the can and discharge it from the machine.

Reference being had to Fig. 1 it will be noticed that the discharge conveyor is driven through the medium of sprocket Wheels and gears 53 so that it will operate in timed relation to the head members and 16 and the spider 14.

In operation of the device, cans are delivered to the chute 35 and the worm gear 33 is driven by a proper means to'revolve thehead members 15 and 16 and the spider 14 at a desired rate of speed. As each can receiving socket in the spider 14 aligns with the chute 35, it will receive a can. After a can is deposited in the socket and it moves from alignment with the chute, the cam track 32 causes the face plate 27 to move inwardly and. press the can tightly into engagement with the chuck plate 22, moving the chuck plate 22 outwardly and causing the ports 37 and 38 to register. When these ports register, a vacuum will be created within the hollow chuck spindle 23 and a suction will be applied to the end of the can.

If the can has been sufficiently evacuated, the end ofthe can will not distend and the can will remain in the socket of the spider for approximately three-quarters of a revolution of the head members and spider. Just prior to one-half a revolution of the spider from the delivery point of the can, the cam track 32 moves outwardly'releasing the pressure of the face plate 27 on the can. If the can end was not distended, the suction on the chuck end of the can will be sufiici'ent to retain the can in the spider until'it reaches the discharge point of the machine. At this point, the button 51 on the valve stem 42 will engage the trip shoe 52, breaking the vacuum in the hollow chuck spindle 23 and shutting off communication between the intcrior of the hollow spindle 23 and the vacuum chamber in the head 15. The can will then be released from the spider and will discharge onto the delivery conveyor 50 "which operates synchronously with the spider. This delivery conveyor will remove the can from the machine and deliver it to a desired point.

ln theevont that the can delivered to the spider is faulty or contains less than the desired amount of vacuum, when the suctionspider from the point of delivery of the can, when the cam 32 moves outwardly releasingthe pressure on the can, the latter will discharge from the machine. It is seen that at this point when the pressure on the face plate is released when the can is faulty there is nothing to hold it in place in the spider, but when the can is not faulty there is sufficient suction on the chuck end of the can to carry it and deliver it to the delivery conveyor 50. I

It is obvious from the foregoing thatl have provided an automatically operating can testing machine to which cansmay be continuously fed and which-will operate to segregate improperly evacuated cans from properly evacuated ones and discharge the two types of cans from the machine at sepa- I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patcut is:

.1. An apparatus of the character described comprising can testing means adapted to travel in continuous cycles and'to receive a can at a predetermined point in its cycle of operation, said testing means being adapted to exert a distending force on the end of a can suilicient-to distend the end of the can in the event that the can is not sufficiently evacuated, and automatically operating means for discharging cans having distended ends and cans wherein the ends are not distended at different points in the cycle of operation, of the testing means.

'2. An apparatus of the character de scribed comprising a revolving mechanism carrying can conveying means capable of receiving a can at a predetermined point in its cycle of operation, means associating with the receiving means "for exerting a distending force on the end of a can sufiicient to distend the can end in the event that the can is insufficiently evacuated, and means for automatically discharging the sufficiently evacuated and insutliciently evacuated cans at diderent points in the cycle of operation of the receiving means.

3. An apparatus for testing filled cans comprising movable means to which cans may be fed, said means being capable of discharging properly evacuated cans at a discharge point, testing means associated with said movable means and capable of distending the ends of improperly evacuated cans, and means actuated by the distension of a'can end automatically causing the discharge of improperly evacuated cans at a point other than the discharge point mentioned.

4. An apparatus for testing filled cans comprising a revolving mechanism carrying a can receiving means capable of receiving a can at a predetermined point in its cycle of operation, means associated with the receiving means for exerting a distending force on the end of a can to distend the can end in the event that the can is im properly evacuated, said receiving means being adapted to automatically discharge undistended can ends at a predetermined 'in the event that the can is improperly evacuated, and means for automatically discharging the can at one point if its end dis-- tendsand at another point if its end does not distend.

6. An apparatus for testing filled cans comprising a revolving mechanism carrying a can receiving chuck to which cans may be delivered, testing means associated with the chuck to exert a distending force on the end of the can carried bythe chuck, means for v automatically discharging the can from the chuck at a predetermined point in its cycle ofoperation in the event that the can end is not distended, and means actuated by the distension of the can end for diseharging the can from the chuck prior to reaching said discharge point in the eventthat said can end becomes distended.

7. An apparatus of the character described comprising a plurality of chucksy adapted to revolve about a common center, means for delivering a can to each chuck, automatically operating means for clamping acan in each chuck immediately after the chuck receives the can, testing means 00- operating with the chucks for exerting a distending force on the end of a can clamped therein, automatically operating means for dischargin chuck at a predetermined point in its cycle of operation in the event that. the can end does not become distended, and automatically operatingnieans operated by the distensionof a can end to discharge the can from the chuck prior to reaching the discharge point' aforesaid in the event that the can end is distended by the testing means.

8. An apparatus for testing filled cans comprising a pair of chucks adapted to lit against the opposite closed ends of a can and between which the can may be clamped,

means for continuously revolving the chucks about a fixed center, means for automatically positioning a can between said chucks and causing the chucks to clamp the can and carry it through a cycle of-operatlon, testingmeans associating with the chucks and operative during the cycle of operation of the chucks to exert a distending force on the end of the can therein suflicient to distend the end of the can in the event that the can is improperly evacuated, means actuated by the end of the can in the event that it becomes distended for automatically discharging the can from the chucks at one point in the cycle of operation of the chucks, and means automatically causing the release of the can that it may discharge from the chucks at a different point in the cycle of operation of the chucks in the event that the can end does not become distended. LOUIS H. PETERS.

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